Subtleness, The Art of
by Miriae
Summary: Drabble. AsuCaga. She was good friends with Athrun Zala. Maybe it was the reason why she was still not married?


**I just wanted to try writing using the present tense. Plus, this idea that played around in my mind after finishing The Princess Sonata. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed/Destiny**

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**Subtleness, The Art of**

By

_Miriae_

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Technically, he is not best friends with the Orb Princess.

Technically, Athrun Zala's best friend is the Princess's brother, Kira Yamato. But because Kira loves his sister dearly and only sees her at least once in half a year, he has requested—no, _mandated_—that Athrun checks on his dearest sibling every time he has business in Orb.

And thus has begun a routine between the Chairman of PLANTs and the Princess of Orb.

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He hears the front doors open as he sits calmly, legs crossed, on one of the armchairs of the Attha Mansion's Sitting Room. He checks his watch and notes that he is lucky that she is late.

There are soft footsteps against the carpeted halls as her golden head peers through the door. Cagalli Yula Attha offers him a small smile.

"You just arrived?" She asks, eying the travelling coat he still wears.

He blinks, unaware before she has mentioned that he truly is still wearing his coat. He stands, peels the coat off his form and carefully hangs it in the nearby coat rack. When he replies, it is with a pleasant smile. "I had some business to take care of."

Cagalli nods, distracted by her own coat she was wrestling off her shoulders.

Still, he asks her, "You had a pleasant evening, I suppose?"

Her smile falters as she rolls her eyes. "I was supposed to meet the Prince of Monaco for dinner."

The housemaid brings in a tray of tea and butter cookies, bowing as she exits. Athrun pours Earl Grey tea, Cagalli's favorite, in both cups as he waits for Cagalli to continue.

The princess collapses on the armchair opposite his, grimacing. "He did not arrive."

"Oh?" Athrun raises an eyebrow. "Was there an emergency?"

"No, no, no." And Cagalli shakes her head and snorts. "He left a message saying that it was better if we remained friends. He doesn't want to pursue me in a romantic sense."

Athrun nods empathetically and pats her shoulder. He chooses to remain silent, not bothering to tell her that he has met her date in the same restaurant an hour before she even arrived.

Calling him a bully was preposterous. He might have given good points of argument on why the prince of Monaco will not be a good match for the Orb princess, he also might have subtly dropped propositions on who can be the prince's girl of his dreams. But he did not bully him—_no_, he has given pointers and advices, not threats.

"It seems like they all hate me," Cagalli laments.

"Nonsense! Why would they?"

"Because.. " Unsure, Cagalli averts her eyes. "I'm not girly?"

And he raises his eyebrows. Trust Cagalli not to know her own charm, how she bewitches most men even without trying. And those men were deeply bewitched that it has been a challenge to keep them away from her.

Cagalli reaches for a butter cookie and takes a bite, her eyebrows furrow in deep thought. "The Council is already combing the whole Earth to find me a husband. This is the fifth man they have set me up with. Even I do feel sorry that all their work doesn't seem to be paying off."

"And what if they don't find him on Earth?"

Cagalli laughs and waves her hand absent-mindedly, "Maybe they'll turn to PLANTs next."

Athrun smiles behind his teacup. He does not tell Cagalli that yes, the Council was knocking outside his door, dowry in tow, their balding heads and weary faces hopeful that finally—_finally_—like Cinderella, the shoe will fit and their dearest princess will be married.

He wisely does not tell her too, that it was _Just as planned_. Because Athrun Zala is a gentleman, an empathetic man whose love for duty is overwhelming, and not a conniving, manipulative person orchestrating most, if not all, events in her love life.

They spend the evening engaged in pleasant conversation. Cagalli snorts good-humouredly as Athrun shares how her brother has been doing in PLANTs. Athrun, on the other hand, listens earnestly as Cagalli recounts the past five months from when they last saw each other. Finally the tea has gone cold, the butter cookies have been consumed and it is time to call the end of the night.

They stand in the front porch, the cool night breeze teasing their skin. Athrun adjusts his coat tighter as he prepares to leave.

"See you soon, Athrun. Take care of yourself now, would you?" Cagalli reaches up and gathers him in her arms in a sisterly embrace which he returns, holding her a moment longer than necessary.

Athrun nods, a queer smile on his lips. "I will visit you soon. And we'll have a party with lots of your favorite food."

They will, of course. He is making sure that their engagement party in two weeks will be a festive event.

She smiles, unaware of the true meaning behind his words, "I'd like that."

But he bothers not to enlighten her. After all, she has loved surprises, hasn't she?

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**The End**

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**So what do you think? Please review! :)**

**Asucaga is definitely my OTP. I just realized I have written a one-shot, a three shots, a completed multi-chapter story and now a drabble for this pairing XD **


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